Treatment of arterial traumas by the Wallgraft endoprosthesis

Purpose: Percutaneous peripheral interventional procedures as well as coronary interventions can be complicated by dissections and traumatic lesions of peripheral arteries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment for traumatic peripheral arterial lesions. Material and Methods: In this study we used the Wallgraft-Endoprothesis (Boston Scientific, USA), which is a self-expanding covered stent. In 17 patients a total number of 24 endoprostheses (mean length 6.4 cm) were implanted in iliac arteries. Indications for stenting were large dissections (n=9), arterial perforations (n=4), aneurysms (n = 3), and stent in stent implantation (n = 2). Results: An immediate exclusion of the lesion could be achieved in all cases. There were no major procedural complications. The primary patency after a mean follow-up of 18 months was 82.4% (14/17). Early reocclusion was seen in two cases, one stent in stent reocclusion and one reocclusion after acute stent thrombosis. In one other case the angiography revealed relevant restenoses (> 75%). The patency could be restored in one of these three cases leading to a secondary patency rate of 94.1 %. Conclusions: The Wallgraft-Endoprotheses seems to be safe and effective to seal large dissections and traumatic lesions of periphal arteries, showing a high long-term patency rate.